Aged in barrels for up to two and a half years before bottling, vintage port is generally aged another ten to thirty years in the bottle before reaching proper drinking age. Since it is aged in barrels for only a short time, it retains its dark ruby colour and fresh fruit flavours. Particularly fine vintage ports can continue to gain complexity and drink wonderfully for many decades after being bottled – it’s not unknown for century-old bottles to still be in perfect condition when uncorked.

Vintage port is made entirely from grapes of a declared vintage year and accounts for about two per cent of that year's total port production. Not every year is declared a vintage in the Douro, with the decision made by individual port houses, or 'shippers', in the spring of the second year following the harvest. Reputations are hard won and easily lost in the port industry – so the decision is never taken lightly.

Fonseca 2009 Vintage Port. Fonseca's head winemaker – David Guimaraens remarked: ' The 2009's have higher colour intensity and tannin levels than we have seen for the last two decades. They also have exceptional fruit quality as can be seen...

Fonseca 2007 Vintage Port "Closed, thick palate of blackberries, prunes, spices, grainy tannins and a fresh, lengthy finish. Magnificent structure and density." RH Jancisrobinson.com Occurring on average only about three times a decade, the release...

Fonseca 1994 Vintage Port. Inky and opaque with scents of violets, distinct black pepper and blueberry aromas. I couldn't drink this Port, but it was certainly fun to chew on for a while. Dark and off-dry with intense fruit, huge & hedonistic,...